Padma Lakshmi Says She's at Her 'Sexual Peak' at 53

For decades, Padma Lakshmi has been showing people how to cook fulfilling meals and enjoy life to its fullest. At 53, Lakshmi seemingly has it all, and she isn't letting aging get her down. In fact, she's embracing it. 

In a new interview with Us Weekly, Lakshmi opened up about her relationship with her body today and got honest about the road she traveled to the self-love she enjoys today. 

"Look, I’m at my sexual peak," Lakshmi stated plainly. "Let’s just say what it is. I am. And I feel great about that. I don’t care what anybody thinks. I don’t care what my mother thinks, unless she’s very supportive."

The Top Chef host dove into modeling more than two decades ago and admitted she "really lived in fear" of backlash from her family, especially after doing a partially nude photo shoot that led to more modeling work in subsequent years. "I am free of all that. I just didn’t meet their expectations at all," she said. 

Lakshmi is showing off her figure in her 50s with a new capsule collection with Bare Necessities. She wanted to create bras with larger-chested women in mind and give customers something they can feel good wearing. “I want them to feel happy and confident and comfortable," she said. "No matter how beautiful you look, if you’re not comfortable, you won’t look beautiful."

Getting older hasn't been a bad thing for Lakshmi. "I love saying I’m 53," she said. "And people are like, ‘Oh, you don’t look like you’re 53.' And I’m like, 'No, this is also what 53 looks like.'"

"Our culture really has a way of telling women that there’s this narrow window and this narrow size or narrow appearance that you have to look to feel attractive, and that is complete bulls--t," she added. 

Lakshmi's Bare Necessities collab will be available for purchase June 6.